TRAGIC: Out to surprise parents, techie loses life in E-way accident

By A Correspondent |Posted 26-May-2014

Shridhar Kulkarni (30), had gone to London on a business trip and was coming back to Pune unannounced. He was supposed to get engaged on June 10

In a cruel twist of fate, a city-based techie, who had gone to London on a business trip and was coming back unannounced to surprise his parents, died in a car accident on the Mumbai-Pune expressway. He was supposed to get engaged on June 10.

Life snuffed out: While the driver was not in the car and escaped injury, Kulkarni died before he reached the hospital

Talegoan police have identified the deceased as Shridhar Shrikrishna Kulkarni (30), a resident of Sangvi.Kulkarni had reached Mumbai airport early on Sunday and booked a cab for Pune. Around 7 am, the driver noticed that the car had a flat tyre and stopped by the side of the road near Somatane phata to change it. Barely 15 minutes later, a speeding truck (bearing registration number KA-29-A-5969) rammed the car from behind.

While the driver was not in the car at the time of the accident, Kulkarni suffered severe injuries and was rushed to Lokmanya hospital in Nigdi, where he was declared deadon arrival.

A Talegoan police official said, “The driver of the car had parked the vehicle in the extreme left lane to change the tyre and that’s when a speeding truck rammed the car from behind. The truck driver had lost control of his vehicle as a tyre had burst.”

Kulkarni worked for Tech Mahindra and had gone to London for some official work. Since he was getting engaged on June 10, he had bought gifts for his wife-to-be and his family members.

Kulkarni’s uncle, Vijay Ramkrishna Kulkarni said, “We were all taken aback after we got the news that he was killed. When his parents had last spoken to him, he had said that he was purchasing gifts for everyone and that he would be coming back soon, but he never mentioned the date.”

“Shridhar was the brightest child of the family and the most educated as well. We were all preparing for his engagement. I still cannot believe that he is no longer with us,” added the uncle

E-way horror

May 21, 2014: A 20-year-old truck cleaner died and the driver sustained severe injuries after their tanker veered off the road and crashed into a hill portion along the Pune-Mumbai Expressway, near Lonavla

May 15, 2014: A couple from Vishrantwadi died after their car hit a wall and fell into a trench along the Pune-Mumbai expressway in Malavli, near Lonavla. The deceased were identified as Jatinder Satish (50) and Mrudula Sarin(46).

May 28, 2012: 27 memb-ers of a marriage party, including 4 children, were killed and 26 people were injured when a speeding tempo rammed in a statio-nary bus at Khalapur